Timing control device



April 24, 1934.

E. ROBERTS TIMING CONTROL DEVICE Filed June 15 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l by 1w. M W} @Ztorweg April 24, 1934. E. ROBERTS TIMING CONTROL DEVICE Filed June 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I77U677ZD7" April 24, 1934. E. ROBERTS TIMING CONTROL DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 15 1928 Patented Apr. 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 1,956,539 I TIMING CONTROL DEVICE Application June 15, 1928, Serial No. 285,773

7 Claims. (01. 161-1) This invention relates to timing control devices adapted for use in controlling or regulating the duration and the sequence of different operations in an automatically controlled apparatus, and is particularly intended for use in connection with centrifugal machines for the refining of sugar and the like in which the duration of the purging or liquid extraction, of the washing and of the drying operations may be accurately and reliably regulated in accordance With the principles set forth in my application for United States patent relating to automatically controlled centrifugal apparatus, filed November 5, 1926, Serial No. 146,433, and patented July 2, 1929, No. 1,719,132 of which the present application is in part a division and continuation.

Since the duration of the purging, the washing and the drying operations in the centrifugal purification of sugar or like material should be accurately, but variably, controlled, according to the nature and condition of the material being treated, the starting and the stopping of the several operations involved should be effected by a properly coordinated apparatus that can be readily set to turn on the spray after a predetermined period of purging and will then cut off the spray after an appropriate period of washing and will then stop the machine after a further predetermined and appropriate period of drying.

The herein described timing apparatus is constructed with special reference to meeting such requirements and comprises, generally, an intermittently driven timing mechanism having independently adjustable timing members, which act separately at predetermined, but variable, intervals and in predetermined sequence to control various operations of the apparatus with which it is associated. The invention is further characterized by means for automatically returning the series of timing members to their proper initial or starting position after the completion of each cycle of operations controlled by them. These and other features of the invention will be particularly explained in the following specification and will he defined in the claims annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a simple and convenient construction and arrangement of apparatus embodying the principles of this invention, omitting therefrom for the most part the associated apparatus, the duration of whose various operations and functions is controlled by the mechanism comprising the present invention.

In said drawings .Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the timing mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation in medial section illustrating the working parts thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one of the control members actuated by the timer.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view in central section through the upper portion of the rotary timing head.

' Fig. 6 is a side elevation on the plane 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. l is a sectional view of the head showing the locking pawl and arbor by which the timer rings are locked in various positions of circumferential adjustments.

Fig. 8 is a detail showing in the perspective one of the locking pins for holding the locking dog of a timing element against movement from its predetermined position.

In the practice of the invention in the form illustrated in the drawings, I provide an enclosing casing or box 1, in this case secured on top of a casing or frame 1 which carries the spraying mechanism for spraying the purged sugar in the centrifugal that is to be associated with this timing mechanism. In this casing is mounted a horizontal rotatable shaft 2 to one end of which is anchored a volute tensioning spring 3, similar to a clock spring, and to the other end of which is secured the timer head 4, which is provided with two parallel annular face plates 40 and 41, between which are mounted the individual timer elements in the form of circumferentially adjustable internally toothed rings 42, 43 and 44, whose function will be presently explained.

The timer shaft 2 is driven from a transmission shaft 8 operably connected with the suspension shaft of the associated centrifugal in the manner shown in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,719,132, the operations of which are to be controlled by means of a releasable clutch connection embracing a clutch gear 5 slidably keyed to the shaft 2 and intermeshing with lateral teeth of a loose gear 6, which is secured to a loose worm gear 7 that intermeshes with the worm 8 on the driving shaft 8.

The clutch member 5 is thrown into and out of engagement by means of a yoke or clevis engaging an annular groove 5 in the hub of the gear 5, and secured to a short rock shaft 51, which carries a lever 52 connected to a connecting link or rod 53, whose upward movement rocks the shaft 51 in a counter-clockwise direction (according to the showing in Fig. 1) to operatively engage the clutch member 5 with the clutch member 6 so as to rotate the shaft 2. Conversely when the rock shaft 51 turns in the opposite direction it serves to pull down the link 53. Obviously this link may be connected witha suitable part of the associated centrifugal, such for example as the starting lever, so that the timer clutch will be thrown into operating position when the starting lever is thrown over to start the centrifugal, while the reverse or downward movement of the link 53, through the agency of the lever or arm 52, may be used to cause the return of the starting lever to idle position. The details of such arrangement or connection form no part of the present invention, it being suflicient for present purposes to indicate that the upward movement of the link 53 starts the timer shaft in operation, while as will be presently explained the downward movement thereof produced by one of the control elements may exert an appropriate control over the associated apparatus.

Instead of connecting the clutch controlling and clutch controlled lever 52 directly with the rock shaft 51, I prefer to provide a lost motion connection, and to this end the lever 52 is loosely mounted on the rock shaft 51 while to the outer end of said rock shaft is secured an angle lever 54 carrying opposed thrust screws 55 adapted to engage the upper and lower sides of the interposed portion of the lever, so that the upward pull of the link 53 is transmitted to the rock shaft 51 through the medium of the upper thrust screw 55 and the angle lever 54. Conversely, the timer induced movement of the lever 52 in the opposite direction serves not only to pull downward the link 53, but also through the agency of the lower thrust screw 55 causes the timer driving clutch to be disengaged or released. The amount of lost motion between the lever 52 and the angle lever 54 can be regulated by setting the thrust screws to proper position. The effect of this lost motion is to allow the gears to intermesh without binding or clogging.

In using this timer for controlling the purging, the washing and drying operations of a centrifugal apparatus, the cycle of operation of the timer will be as follows. The timer shaft, being energize by the shifting of the clutch member 5 into driving connection with the transmission shaft 8, starts the rotation of the timer shaft simultaneously with the starting of the centrifugal. The individual control element 42, which is the form of an internally toothed ring rotates with the timer head 4 through a predetermined arc until its projecting member 42 engages another member of the control device that starts the sprayer in action for the washing operation. The further rotation of the timer head through another predetermined arc of rotation acts through the projection 43 on the intermediate control element 43 to engage another member of the control device that cuts oh" the sprayer from action. fhe further continued rotation of the timing head acts, through a projection 44 secured to the third control element to engage the outer end of the lever 52 to pull down the connecting link 53 and, at the same time to shift the clutch 5 of the timer shaft out of engagement with the clutch member 6 so that the timer then ceases to operate, having, through pulling down the link 53, released the starting arm of the centrifugal apparatus to return it to idle and brake-setting position.

Further details of the construction just referred to will now be explained.

The initial position or starting point, from which the timer head always begins to rotate, is determined by the stop lug 40 projecting from the inner face plate 40,. resting against the stop dog 40 which is pivotally mounted on the casing l by means of the stud 45 so that (as shown in Fig. 1) the downward movement of the lug 40 is arrested or limited by the outer end of the dog 40, the inner end of the pivoted dog 40 engaging a fixed stop lug 1 on the casing 1 to prevent further rotation of the dog 40 The head is normally returned to and held in this initial position by means of the torsion spring 3 on the end of the shaft 2, which comes into action as soon as the clutch member 5 is disengaged from the clutch member 6. It will therefore be seen that the head, as an entirety, always returns to the same initial position after the timer clutch has been disengaged following the performance of the several functions of the respective timer elements. The tensioning of this spring may be controlled by rotating the time shaft in a forward direction as much as may be desired. The stop dog 40 being pivoted can be turned out of the path of the stop lug 40 on the timer head, so as to permit the timer head to be revolved several times if desired in winding up the spring to the desired tension, following which the dog 45 is dropped into operative position so as to always bring the timer to rest at the same initial position.

The means for circumferentially adjusting each one of the control elements 42, 43 and 44, each carrying its own projection, is the same in each case and comprises a small pinion 45 keyed to a transverse rotatable spindle 45 which carries at its outer end a handle or knob 45 to enable the operator to turn the spindle in order to rotate the pinion and, through the intermeshing of the pinion with the internal teeth on the ring 42, to rotate the ring until its projecting member 42 is located at the proper are from the device which it actuates to give the proper timing interval between the starting of the timer and the action of the starter that starts the sprayer.

The details of this timer element setting mechanism are best shown in Figs. 5 to 8. To the knob or handle 45 is secured a spur gear 45. Adjacent to this spur gear, as shown in Fig. 3, is pivoted a locking dog 46 which is clamped to a plunger spindle 46 by means of a threaded knob 46 which clamps the dog 45 against an annular shoulder on the spindle 46 The dog 45 has one or more teeth intermeshing with the teeth on the pinion 45 and is held against movement from such intermeshing position by means of a retaining pin 46 having a projecting shoulder or lug 46 By inspection of Figs. 3 and '7, it wiil be seen that when the retaining pin or plug 46 is in engagement with the appropriate recess, formed in the outer edge of the dog 46, outward movement of the dog away from the pinion 45 is impossible. When it is desired to reset a timer element by rotating it circumferentially or" the head into proper position of adjustment to secure the desired timing, the operator seizes the knob 46 and pulls the spindle 45 and its dog 46 outward beyond the plane of the body of the stop pin 46 allowing the dog to swing outward over the fiat end face or" the stop pin 46 and against the stop lug 46*. While the dog is held in this position it is possible to freely rotate the spindle 45 to set the individual timer ring to any desired circumferential position of adjustment. When such adjustment has been effected, the dog is released from its outward position by swinging'it inward toward the pinion 45 and is returned to operative stop position by the compression spring 46 engaging the enlarged head at the innerward end of the plunger spindle 46 As each timer element 42, 43 and 44 is provided with an individual setting means, that are already described, it will be seen that a perfectly reliable and accurate adjustment of each timing element, independently of the others, can be readily effected by the operator.

I have explained how the timer knock-off element 44, through its projection 44 may act for the purpose of stopping the centrifugal and of releasing the clutch, this being the final operation of the timer preceding its automatic return to initial position, as above explained.

To illustrate how the adjustment of the spray regulating and centrifugal stopping devices affect the timing of the spraying and drying periods, I have shown in Fig. 4 the relative position of the coacting parts of the respective control devices as they may be positioned when the timer is at the initial or starting point of its movement, that is, resting against its stop member.

A rock shaft carries an actuating valve arm 71, by which the valve stem of a valve 81 is actuated to open and close the valve. A tension spring 73, connected with the arm on the rock shaft 70, tends to seat the valve in closed position. The rock shaft 70 also carries on its opposite side an arm 72, which supports a pivoted bar 74, whose upper end is normally but yieldingly pressed outward against a fixed bar or stop 76 by means of a tensioning spring 75 connected with the lower end of the pivoted bar 74. In a shouldered recess at the upper end of the bar 74 is mounted a latch 74, which is adapted to receive the downward thrust of the actuator 42 to force the bar downward but which, on the return movement of the timer, allows the actuator 42 to pass by it from underneath. When forced down and Dressed outwardly, the projecting shoulder 74 on the outer face of the bar 74 engages the underside of the fixed stop 76 and, when so engaged prevents the valve-closing movement of the rock shaft 70 until the bar 74 is released from its engagement with the fixed stop 76. This release is effected by an angle lever 77 mounted below the fixed bar 76 and carrying, at the upper end of its short arm, a pin 77 adapted to press against the outside face of the pivoted bar 74 when the actuator 43 depresses the inner end of this angle lever as it travels downward in its rotation. This releasing of the latch or pivoted bar 74 allows the spring 73 to close the valve automatically. At the same time, through suitable connections not herein shown, the reciprocating nozzle carrying bar 78, which oscillates the spray, may be rendered idle.

As each timer or control element is independently adjustable in a circumferential direction, it can be set with its projection at any desired arcuate distance from the cooperating control device which is energized by that control element, so that the period intervening between the starting of the apparatus and the starting of sprayer may be lengthened or shortened at will by a very easy and convenient manipulation or adjustment of the timer element 42. In the same -way the projection 43 of the spray cutting-off control device may be set at any arcuate distance from the part of the control device with which it coacts, soas to maintain-the spraying operation for exactly the right period, according to the nature of material being treated. The centrifugal drying of the sugar, after the washing is finished, can be regulated so as to avoid excessive drying on the one hand, or insufficient drying on the other hand. Immediately following .the action of the'knock-off device the timer head returns to initial or zero position under the infiuence of its torsion spring 3, where it is ready to repeat its service without further attention as soon as the associated centrifugal or other apparatus is once more started in action.

As shown in the parent application, now Patent No. 1,719,132, the drive shaft 8 of the timer control being driven by the centrifugal shaft runs continuously While the centrifugal is in operation, but the particular means of driving the timer shaft is of no special importance so long as the shaft runs constantly while the centrifugal is in operation.

What I claim is:

l. A timer construction embracing a rotary head, a series of toothed rings mounted. side by side peripherally of said head, a series of adjusting pinions for setting the rings to different positions of circumferential adjustment, and means for locking the several rings in their desired 120- sitions of adjustment.

2. In a timer mechanism the combination with a rotatable head, a series of annular timing el\. ments mounted thereon for circumferential adjustment, separate adjusting pinions engaging teeth formed on said timer elements, locking gears co-axially secured to said pinion to rotate therewith, and locking dogs for engaging said locking gears and holding the adjusting pinions and their associated annular timer elements against circumferential displacement.

3. In a timer mechanism the combination with a rotatable head, a series of circumferential timer rings mounted thereon to revolve therewith, each ring being independently adjustable by means of an adjusting pinion, a coaxially locking gear secured to each pinion, axially movable pivotal dogs adapted to be interlocked with said locking gears in various positions of adjustment to prevent circumferential displacement of the timer rings in relation to said head.

4. In a timer mechanism the combination of a rotatable head, a series of annular individually adjustable timer elements mounted thereon, means for adjusting each timer element embracing a setting spindle, a pinion secured thereto to intermesh with its corresponding timer element, a locking gear also secured to said spindle, a locking dog normally held in locking engagement with said gear, said dog being releasable from engagement with said gear by axial movement out of the plane of said gear.

5. A timing mechanism for controlling operation of sugar centrifugal apparatus embracing in combination a rotatable shaft, a driving clutch therefor, a plurality of timing control elements individually connected with said shaft for movement thereby to appropriate position to actuate different selected members of the centrifugal apparatus and control the time sequence of action of such members, adjusting means for effecting variations in the length of travel of the indi vidual control members to their respective positions of action, said clutch being released by 15G) one of said control elements after the other control elements have performed their action.

6. A timing mechanism for controlling operation of 'sugar centrifugal apparatus embracing in combination a rotatable shaft, a driving clutch therefor movable to active position by the starting of the centrifugal, a plurality of timing control elements individually connected with said shaft for movement thereby to appropriate position to actuate different selected membe s of the centrifugal apparatus and control the time sequence of action of such members, adjusting means for effecting variations in the length of travel of the individual control members to their respective positions of action, said clutch being released by one of said control elements after the other control elements have performed their action, and means for restoring the said timer control elements to their respective initial positions.

7. A timing mechanism for controlling operation of sugar centrifugal apparatus embracing in combination a rotatable shaft, a driving clutch therefor movable to active position by the starting of the centrifugal, a plurality of timing control elements individually connected With said shaft for movement thereby to appropriate position to, actuate different selected members of the centrifugal apparatus and control the time sequence of action of such members, adjusting means for effecting variations in the length of travel of the individual control members to their respective positions of action, one of said control elements acting to release said clutch and efiect stoppage of the centrifugal after the other control elements have acted.

EUGENE ROBERTS. 

